


Once Upon a Twist

by Swan3ills



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), swan queen - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-09
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-29 19:52:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3908497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swan3ills/pseuds/Swan3ills
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Regina wakes up on the street after they've come out of the book, she starts to notice Storybrooke may not be as "normal" as it seems at first. She's suddenly wearing Emma's clothes, and realizes she's no longer the Mayor, but Emma is. Role!Swap - Expect OOC for the same reason.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon a Twist

**Author's Note:**

> This would be post 4x21 (finale), so I might come back to change things after it actually airs and we know what's up. This was born from an edit I made in tumblr, and some headcanons going around about the rewrite of the book.

Regina opened her eyes after the purple smoke dissipated. She looked around her in confusion – everything seemed normal in Storybrooke – but the bright red color of  _her_  leather jacket surprised her.

 _Why on earth would she be wearing Emma’s clothing?_  
  
Regina tried to poof herself home but she couldn’t – she had no magic. 

There was not a soul on the street, it still was early in the morning, and she had to walk all the way back to the mansion. But when she failed to find the keys to open the door to her house, and heard noise inside, she decided to knock and hope for Henry to open. And then an even more bewildering sight appeared before her.

“Ms. Mills, you’re still in town…” Emma’s smile seemed kind, but Regina knew better.   
  
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Regina asked confusedly.  
  
“Right. I forgot your car was still on repair after the incident with our sign. My apple cider may have been a little strong for you last night,” The blonde smirked. “I will call the mechanic and have him fix it as soon as possible so you can leave Storybrooke.”  
  
“Thank you… but I didn’t really come to ask about my car,” Regina glanced to the side and saw  _her_  Mercedes in the garage. _Which car does she mean now?_  
  
“Is that so,” Emma took a step closer to Regina. “There’s nothing else for you here in my home. You’re going to stay away from Henry; you gave up your rights when you tossed him away the first time, Ms. Mills,” Emma’s voice was cold, her posture: stiff.  
  
And then Regina understood everything. Well, almost.

She remembered how _that_  story unfolded, and she knew she _could_ gain Emma’s trust and her sympathy, if only she showed the same willpower and patience—or was it stubbornness—Emma Swan showed for her to gain her friendship. But now it seemed like they were back to the start. 

Regina took a deep breath and remembered the second day she was forced to endure Emma’s presence, and something stuck in her mind.

“You know, yesterday was my birthday, and when I blew the candle on this cupcake I bought myself, I actually made a wish… that I didn’t have to be alone on my birthday,” Regina recalled this moment with Emma, but now it was her story. Or parts of it.  
  
Emma looked at Regina with an unimpressed look, already imagining where Miss Mills wanted to go with this. Regina most likely wanted to have Henry for the evening after he got out of school, so she never expected what would actually come next.  
  
“So I was… hoping you might want to join me for brunch, Madam Mayor?” Regina smiled shyly, and completely disarmed her with the sincerity in her request.

“Brunch?” Emma was taken by surprise. “I was on my way to the Town Hall, Ms. Mills,” Emma put back her politician façade and took a moment to think things through.

 _What was going through Emma’s mind,_ Regina wondered. If the _now mayor_ was adopting Regina’s character, then she most likely was over analyzing her invitation. And she was.

“You don’t have to say yes out of obligation. I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to force myself on you. I’m gonna go now,” Regina slowly turned around to leave.

Emma was thinking about her schedule for the day—no pressing matters, this town was _frozen_ in time—and all it would take was a call to let her secretary know she would be coming in late. _She_ ruled this town; she had to answer to no one, and she was hungry. Some things never changed.

“No, wait. I could—I can. It’s just brunch, and you’ve come all the way here, Miss Mills. I suppose I will drive us to…?” Emma began walking to the garage and made a signal with her hand for Regina to follow.

“Granny’s. It’s the only place I’m familiar with,” Regina responded, and Emma looked at her and didn’t completely believe that part, and now she wanted with more reason to know what this brunette was up to. Nobody would be coming to her home and just to lie in her own face.

“Sounds… fine,” Emma said politely. “And please call me Emma,” she offered a fake friendly smile.

“Thank you _, Emma_ ,” Regina smiled truthfully at the blonde despite knowing Emma was being fickle.

 _That voice..._  

Emma felt her fibers vibrate when she heard her name come from ruby lips. She could swear she had heard it before, but she couldn’t remember, and she’d never been to Boston; she would remember having met someone like Regina Mills—oh yes she would, and yet she didn’t.

The two women had brunch together in one of the tables outside the restaurant. The day was warm, the sun was bright; it really was a beautiful day in Storybrooke—a rare sight for the mayor.  _Something was changing,_ and then the clock in the tower started moving, but Emma couldn't see it from there.

“So how old did you turn this last birthday, if I may ask?” Emma asked with much interest.

“I turned thirty-two,” Regina felt a little bit uncomfortable with the question, and Emma looked deep into her eyes.

_That was a lie. Second lie of the day._

“I see. You’re only two years older than me,” Emma’s stare continued to pierce through her.

Regina was starting to get nervous that Emma might have kept her _superpower,_ and her hands started fidgeting under the table, but thank the heavens Ruby made her appearance to offer them dessert.

“An apple pie, please,” Regina asked the waitress.

“Anything for you, Madam Mayor?” Ruby turned to Emma.

“No, I’m fine. Thank you, Ms. Lucas,” Emma dismissed her.

 _Okay,_ this woman was seriously not the Emma Swan Regina remembered.

 _What the hell had happened this time?_ Would the rest of them have different personalities as well? Regina would have to find out.

Regina was enjoying her dessert when she noticed Emma’s green gaze kept going to her apple pie, and then to her mouth, and the blonde would pretend to be looking elsewhere when the brunette looked at her but Regina knew. _Ha! Gotcha, Emma Swan._

“Would you like to try it?” Regina asked her. “It’s pretty sweet. I do make a better one home, but this is quite okay,” the brunette looked carefully at Emma’s features.

“No, thank you,” The blonde blushed lightly. “I’m not fond of sharing—and not just food,” Emma clenched her jaw.

“Okay…” Regina bit her lower lip. “Well, more for me.”

The brunette indulged in the apple goodness, and even dared moaning a little in appreciation of her treat. If somewhere, deep down, Emma Swan _—real Emma Swan—_ still existed, she knew she wouldn’t resist her sweet tooth.

“Well, maybe I could try a small bite…” Emma’s eyes softened _, and there it was;_ a glimpse at _that stubborn girl_ Regina did know.

“Of course,” Regina pushed the small plate across the table.

Ruby had already cleared Emma’s side of the table after she finished, so the blonde just stared at the small plate with the pie, Regina’s fork, and was pensive.

 _Maybe she should’ve requested a second set in case they shared_ —no she never shared. How very uncomfortable.

“Having second thoughts, _dear?_ ” Regina was delighted at her struggle.

If Emma’s glare could cut, she would be the bitch with a wound now, but the blonde looked at Regina with challenge, and took the fork in her hand with elegance. She cut a small portion of the remaining pie, and slowly brought it to her mouth to savor it.

 _How long had it been since she’d allowed herself a treat?_ She actually had no memory. _Odd._

“It’s fairly decent,” Emma dabbed the corner of her mouth with the poise and composure of a queen.

Regina found the image very strange, but it wasn’t unpleasant—the contrary. It was odd, but somewhat cute. _Cute?_ Cancel that. Emma Swan is not cute.

“Thank you for joining me. I appreciate the company,” Regina smiled kindly.

Ruby came to pick up the empty plate and Regina asked for the bill while Emma was looking in her cellphone at a message she received.

“Allow me,” Emma interjected when Regina tried to pay.

“But I invited you,” Regina was confused.

“It was your birthday. Let it be my treat,” Emma responded amiably, but before Regina could smile, she had to ruin it. “You will have a long trip back home, Ms. Mills, and you still need to pay for the repair of your car. But at least you don’t have to worry about the town sign, as I’ll have the city funds cover for that.”

“That’s… kind of you,” Regina wasn't very amused.

 _Where would she be going now? Boston?_ She had no idea where Emma’s apartment was located, and she wasn’t about to leave town— _her town_ —when everything was upside down once more. And she would never leave Henry again. Not a chance.

She needed answers, and she needed to start looking as soon as possible for them.

Emma let Regina know the message she received in her phone was from the mechanic letting her know the bug was ready. She left Regina in Granny’s after paying, and went to the magister office.

“Let me know when she crosses the town limit, Sheriff,” Emma ordered before ending the call.

Regina had to start finding answers and the first person in her mind was Henry, but he was at school, and she wondered if Rumplestiltskin might know something.

_But why was she the only one whose memories were intact?_

It was frustrating, and the worst part about this was that she had been ‘cursed’ to wear Emma’s hideous wardrobe—and don’t even talk about that yellow bug. She wouldn’t be seen driving that _metal coffin_ on wheels ever. No.

Regina had to investigate how different were people in Storybrooke, and she wondered if the _un-charming_ were still whom she’d cursed them to be. Mary Margaret should be teaching in Henry’s school, and David had to be in the pet shelter, so she decided to look at him first.

 _If only there were any stray puppies in the streets,_ Regina grumbled.

She had cursed her town in a way there shouldn’t be abandoned animals, mainly because she hated the sight and stink of stray dogs—not to mention their stool in parks—and the pet shelter was mostly used to heal animals that got wounded when they escaped their homes, or critters from the woods, so Regina really had no excuse to just show up—a stranger new in town—in the pet shelter, empty handed.

“Looks like abducting a puppy just made my to-do list,” Regina sighed. “Pongo...” She remembered.

Regina went to the street where Archie’s office was located and sat on a lonely bench at the bus stop, waiting until it was time for the psychiatrist’s usual walk with the Dalmatian. _Half an hour to go._ But Archie didn’t disappoint, and when it was fifteen minutes to twelve, she saw him walk in direction of the park with Pongo.

She followed stealthily and when the doc let the dog off his leash so Pongo could make his run, Regina hid behind some bushes and started calling quietly at the dog. She pulled something from inside the jacket’s pocket and revealed a small piece of the apple pie, getting Pongo’s full attention.

He went behind the bushes while Archie was reading a book, and Regina leashed him without costing her any effort. It was as if Pongo remembered her, and the dog licked her hand affectionately.

Regina grimaced and wiped her hand on her—Emma’s—tight jeggings, and circled around the park so Archie wouldn’t see them leaving.

She went to the pet shelter and found David, and told him she’d found the dog alone at the park, and worried he might have gotten lost. She’d call the number on his tag but no one answered the call, and thus decided to bring him to the shelter.

Archie hadn't had a cellphone before, Regina took her chances, and the numbers on Pongo's tag were of his office and his home, and he didn’t have a secretary, so Regina’s cover was well thought out.

David was the same dull guy she’d cursed him to be, sweet but dumb, and he believed her immediately. He put Pongo in one of the crates and asked Regina to fill some papers, and Regina did as he asked, and then left.

This small scene had helped her confirm David was back to the original curse character, but it didn’t make sense why Emma was _her,_ and _she_ was meant to be Emma. Or why these idiots didn’t know they were family, and Emma believed Regina was Henry’s birthmother.

Regina had to go to her next stop: Henry’s school.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So far this... This is an experiment, so to speak. Input is welcome.


End file.
